Trigger warning: Sexual assault
Stepping out of the elevator, and onto the oil-covered tile floors, was nerve-wracking. As the elevator doors closed behind us, I had a faint urge to run back and head back up to the surface. But I squared my shoulders and put on the best brave face I could muster. Hayden hasn't said anything as he just stared at what awaited us a when we step out of this building.
The ceiling where there should be a blue sky for people to look up to was nothing but soil with glass panes and cement pillars holding it in place. The streets were oily, the street lamps emanating a warm glow to them if they weren’t busted like the rest. The buildings are covered in muck, grime, moss, and graffiti. The rusting cars drove by one after the other, releasing fumes into the air, the vents doing their best to suck it up and release it to the Dreadlands.
"I'll be taking your ID Optic," The receptionist said, extending her hand, waiting for Hayden to give him his ID.
Optics are the official term for the heir of the EYE council. Some people, mostly from the 3rd district, will call them with insults but that usually ends with a broken bone or two. Hayden handed his ID card to the receptionist, who didn't look as bored as the one above, this one looked like someone pissed in his cup and he was forced to drink it. "Be careful out there, be careful of mobs."
When we stepped out of the building we were hit face first with the stench of sweat and car fumes that lay on the stagnant air. The place was incredibly hot and I’ve already started sweating, and it hasn’t even been a minute. Hayden was visibly shaking as he led us forward, onto the unknown streets of the 3rd district. In a panic, he was patting his pockets in a search for something.
“What are you looking for?” I asked him out of complete annoyance at the way he kept fidgeting.
“My stun gun, looks like I left it somewhere.”
"Scared?Need me to hold your hand for you princess?" Anthony asked and I snickered as Hayden looked back towards us with a sneer.
"Nope, I am perfectly fine and can very much protect myself," Hayden stuck out his tongue like a kid and Anthony did the same. “Though I’d rather have my stun gun.” I heard Hayden whisper but Anthony seemed to not have heard it at all since he’s busy checking out some skimpy clothed girls waiting under a street lamp.
"So, What are you even planning to do once we get there?" Anthony whispered, stepping closer towards me as we followed Hayden, I took a peek at the map I bought just to make sure that we were following the right path and he's not just trying to lead us astray.
"I don't know, talk maybe? He's our dad Tony, I want to see him." We entered an alleyway, tons of garbage bins littered the cramped space, some of them tipped over and some of them occupied by rather busy individuals. There were neon lights at the far end of the alley, doors to houses were to our right was a completely concrete wall was to our left. We walked on the tiny pathway, hoping that no one would get the sudden urge to go out for a walk. The scent was rancid, it smelled of sex and sweat but with the nasty mixture of sewer and trash.
“Damn, you think they’ll let me join in?” Anthony said taking a quick peek at a rather bustling garbage bin.
Hayden looked back and gave him such a comical face that I cracked up a bit. “Are you serious?”
“No! Of course not!”
Puddles of strange muck gathered in pools, we were careful not to step on them and I had to pull Anthony back when he attempted to push Hayden into one. We don't know what that liquid is, who knows, it could be toxic the “Melt your skin upon touch” kind of toxic. A group of guys sat just outside a club that was on the end of the alley, they were smoking electric junk when one of them noticed Hayden.
Hayden, the little snarky ass, also got a fair share of good looks. If anyone would give him a quick glance, you would think that he’s some beautiful girl. He's shorter than me, thin and with fair skin, a v-shaped face, and mono-lids gave him a youthful look as his bright blue eyes and blonde hair charmed those around him. The only people his looks have zero effect on is me and Anthony. Me because I hate his guts, and Tony because he'd rather die than tap a male ass.
The three of us stopped as two of the guys blocked the path in front of us, we were about to turn around but another two men caged us in from behind. We were surrounded completely in a matter of seconds, all of them looking hungrily at Hayden. Like hyenas craving a bite of meat.
"Woohoo! Look at this beauty right here!" Their supposed leader walked around us, gripping and shaking his crotch like a maniac. I kept my face blank, not wanting to show any weakness towards these freaks. I watched as they all eyed, Hayden like a single piece of cookie left in the jar. The one behind me tried to grip my ass but I swatted at his hand, which he retracted immediately.
“Hey wanna go for some fun?” He went in so up close and personal into Hayden that I was a bit scared of what his punishment could be like. He placed his hand on Hayden’s ass and even through his jeans, I could see the disgusting man’s finger press deep into Hayden.
“Get off of me.” Hayden tried to push the guy away but the other man was way too strong for him to handle. I looked around for any android that could help us, but there was none, not even in front of shops. There were no cop androids around to help us, and they're definitely won’t be any human cop to stop this.
“Fiesty, I like it when they fight back,” The man took Hayden's head and push it against his crotch, from my vantage point, I could see the tears well up on the small boy’s face.
"Let us go and you can have him," Anthony said and I just looked at him like his d!ck just fell out of his pants. For a second time today, he looked scared for his life. Hayden looked back at him, betrayal and desperation written across his face. He was trying his best to shrug off the hold the men had on him. It was no use, seeing as the guys we're ultimately 2x bigger than him.
“What?! Anthon-”
"Let go of me you slimey lug!!!" He thrashed, his clothes getting torn in places as two of the men groped him as they took him away slowly. His belt was already being undone, and his top unbuttoned.
"Fine we can't work with you anyways, let's go boys we scored a jackpot with this one." The rest of the guys laughed as they dragged Hayden away, feeling up the skin that was slowly being exposed.
"Anthony! We can't just let them take him!" I said shoving him so that he was finally looking at me, he had this nonchalant look on his face, like he didn't care at all.
"It's Hayden, when did you care?"
"ANTHONY!!! How could you say that!?! He's still a person, who knows what those guys do to him! What if they rape him and then leave him for dead?!? Huh!?! Would you conscience take that?!" I screamed, trying my damned hardest to drag him towards the retreating figures, Hayden still screaming his bloody head of.
"HELP ME!!! Nonononono! Stop Please!!"
"He's an ass, sure, but no one deserves this!"
"Ugh, fine let's help the insufferable prat," Anthony said as the two of us broke into a run, he looked nervous as can be but we ran as fast as we could. We turned the corner and saw the group of men dragging in another alleyway, with Hayden already bent over but thankfully, nothing has started yet.
"Don't touch there you dirty oaf!" Hayden shouted using his feet to kick at one of them, but it barely even made them falter.
"Hey tough guy!" I gave one incredulous glance at Anthony, why he would scream before attacking was beyond me but none the less, I grabbed at a rusty pipe nearby. It's dirty and was in the gutter but a dirty weapon is better that no weapon. Anthony, on the other hand, sent a heavy blow to the guy's head with his legs. He kept his arms up and in front of him as he delivered kick after kick to the guys.
I ran to aid him, as a guy was sneaking up on him. Bringing down the pipe, it smashed against his skull, knocking him out and sending vibrations up to my arms. It was strong enough that I accidentally let go of the pipe and it rolled back towards the gutter.
Shit. I muttered to myself and saw another one lunge at me. Diving to the side, I felt my knee scrape against the floor and grabbed onto a pair of high heels left in front of the door, a pair of black cap shoes beside them. I threw both high heels towards the guy, which made him stumble for a bit. Grabbing the wet pipe, I wound the pipe and slammed it against his face, making him fall to his side, rubbing where the pipe hit. I widened my eyes at him, daring for him to stand back up but he cowered away, I kicked him for good measure.
Glancing back to my brother, I saw him drop to the ground and swiftly swiped his leg underneath the guy in front of him. The guy landed on his butt, and that's when Anthony landed a crushing blow against his crotch. We walked towards Hayden, who was bawling as he dressed himself up again. He watched the situation unfold in front of him, covering the holes in his clothes the best he can.
"You ok-"
"YOU LEFT ME TO GET GROPED AND MANHANDLED BY - BY - BY A BUNCH OF PATHETIC MONGRELS!! NO I AM NOT OKAY!!" Hayden got up and stomped away dramatically there was a shake to his shoulders as he cried even more on his own.
Anthony matching his pace with the small guy so that he can continue on with their bickering.
"Excuse me, but we saved you didn't we?! shouldn't we at least get a thank you?"
“Thank your arse, you were going to let me be dragged and abused and get who knows what done to me, if it wasn't for your brother!"
"Well, we came to help you, isn't that what matters?"
"Are you naturally thick headed? or are you playing dumb? YOU almost got ME raped AND killed, I ain't giving you any form of thanks."
"How dare you call me dumb, after saving your sorry ass. Take this! I can’t stand looking at your tattered clothes!"
I wondered if it was to late to go back to one of the guys and tell them to take me, just take me with them and away from these two.
We walked on and on, just following where Hayden was walking. Glancing back at the map, I confirmed that he was indeed still heading in the correct direction even if my brother was constantly harassing the boy with insults and violence, which prompted a retaliation from the squirt.
"We're here." We were in another alleyway, in front of a door that was like all the others in this small space. The door of the wood looked like it was decaying and the concrete walls of the small living space was covered in grafitti.
There were more doors along the alley, you wouldn't even know which one's which if not for the numbers on the door.
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